This week, let’s take 10 minutes to tackle the junk drawer. Instead of just tidying up what is already in there, lets resolve to make it a NO JUNK drawer or at the very least, less junk.
Lets face it, a drawer with the prestigious name, “The Junk Drawer” is the most likely to receive the least amount of love. This is also the reason that its one of the most cringe-worthy areas in the kitchen.
I have always tried to keep the items in this drawer to a minimum, but lately I have simplified it further.
Here is what my “no junk” drawer looks like now.
I have already shared with you that I don’t have the most spacious kitchen, and I didn’t want to dedicate a whole drawer for miscellaneous items. The way I look at it is, if I dedicate a whole drawer for this, I will find a way to fill it up. I gave myself half a drawer to work with and it made me rethink what I would keep in this space.
Half of the drawer is taken up by a steak knife block. It fits perfectly in the drawer, it doesn’t shift and keeps the baskets next to it, in place.
Every junk drawer will look different and I encourage you to only keep items that you frequently use. In my case, I keep scissors, writing tools, tape, memo pads and chip clips. (By the way, I used to have like 10 chip clips in there and we rarely buy chips. I also have a ton of workout gear and…well…back to the drawer).
I also keep a little plastic container to collect Box Tops for my son’s school. Otherwise, I know I would just throw them in the drawer and they would get lost since they are so small.
So what are the steps to creating a “no junk” drawer that works for you?
1. Empty the contents of the drawer onto a nearby surface.
2. Categorize items into Keep / Discard / Relocate (later, you can relocate items that don’t belong in this drawer).
3. Clean the drawer. If you will use clear containers, you may decide to place a pretty liner on the drawer after cleaning.
4. Containerize this space according to the items you are keeping. I chose not to use a drawer divider made for junk drawers because it would take up the whole drawer and I would feel compelled to fill the spaces, even if I didn’t need them. Instead, I chose clear containers with a colorful non-skid backing that I found at Target. They had different sizes and you can customize your space.
Taking 10-15 minutes to do this small task will not only make your drawer pretty, it will also make it easier to find and put away items. This will keep your drawer organized for a long time (or until your husband loses his keys and turns every drawer upside-down. This may or may not depict an actual event that may or may not have occurred in my life.)
What else do you keep in the junk drawer?
Until next time!
Maria
